Let’s face it, no-one can be top of their game, full of energy and clear about their goals ALL of the time. We all experience periods of fatigue, feeling ‘under par’ or being a bit lost. We’re all human after all, and disappointments and setbacks can knock even the most optimistic and driven amongst us off course. The question is: how to get back on track?!

While the advice from well-meaning friends and colleagues to simply: ‘shake it off’, ‘move on’ or ‘let it go’; is, indeed, part of the answer, it’s not enough. If we simply stopped caring, life would become empty and joyless. To truly re-discover your mojo and get back to peak performance, you need a purpose – and a winner mindset!

In this insight, we would like to give you six steps to start thriving again!

  1.    Boost your Energy

Basic physics states that to get a ball rolling again, you need to create some thrust to propel it forward. The same applies to us when we find ourselves at a standstill – physically and emotionally. We need to boost our energy and initially we might have to ‘fake it till we make it’. So, pay attention to your diet, choosing nutritious and energizing foods. Build in some sports into your weekly routine and don’t hesitate to give yourself a burst of energy whenever you need it during the day by listening to upbeat music (go ahead and dance too!); enjoying an upbeat conversation with a colleague or friend; or, noticing nature through your window or on a morning walk. There are lots of ways to boost your energy and endorphin levels. You just need to invest a few minutes each day to begin to reap the rewards and see things differently.

  1. Dare to Dream

Seeing things differently is the next step on the road back to peak performance. Many of us don’t dare to dream anymore. Past disappointments have made us wary of aiming too high for fear of failing and falling. The problem is, if we don’t dream, we settle. We become passive and no elite athlete or successful business person has ever got anywhere by being passive. And to start dreaming again, you have to change your mindset and see things differently. Rather than focusing on what is not yet good enough, notice all the things that do work well and the areas where progress has been made. Instead of focusing on your deficiencies, notice all the strengths you have. Instead of focusing on all the rejections and closed doors, notice all the opportunities that are out there. Once you see the world and your current situation in a more optimistic light, then it is much easier to start dreaming again.

  1. Create a compelling Vision of the Future

The next step on your road to recovery is to convert your dreams into clear and achievable goals. To create a compelling a vision of your future. What do you want to accomplish? What is the result you want to achieve? Define just a few – not too many – and then get motivated. Really motivated. The more determined you are to achieve your goal, the more drive you will have to accomplish it. If you truly crave something, you will make so much more progress than if you just ‘would like’ it.

  1. Be Resourceful

Now you need to work out how to turn your goal into reality. Ambitious goals are, by definition, difficult to achieve. They are stretching. It’s not going to be easy – in practical terms or, indeed, psychologically! So you will need to ‘be resourceful’; to think outside of the box. Consider what resources you already have available to you that you could leverage? Could you talk to a friend or colleague to get some invaluable insights or to ask for an introduction to an expert? Perhaps you would benefit from a coach or some additional training or some type?

  1. Become a disciplined ‘DO-er’

This is an obvious next step … but one that people often struggle with: once you have defined your goal, are truly committed to achieving it and know how you want to get there, it is time to DO it! If you want outstanding results and perform at your absolute best, you are going to have to put in the necessary work! You might well be thinking at this point: “Sure, but I don’t want to be busy all the time, I want to act smart’’; and we agree but that is all about Step 4: Be Resourceful i.e. Do the right things and don’t waste any time. But, in addition to being resourceful and being smart, ambitious goals take hard work and dedication. No ifs, no buts! As Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge said: “Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and your passions”.

  1. Roll with it

And finally, coming full circle, the last step is indeed about learning to ‘let it go’! You WILL have setbacks. At times, things WILL go wrong. Sometimes you will not live up to your own standards. Others won’t either. And life will almost certainly throw in a couple of extra challenges to make staying on track additionally difficult. But that is where being resilient, learning to ‘roll with it’ and picking yourself up and carrying on becomes key. Don’t let these things define you. Try not to let them sap your energy or occupy so much of your mind that you cannot function anymore. Go back to Step 1 and work your way forward again through the steps. Again and again. That’s how you start building results. That’s how you return to peak performance and can feel – and be proud of – your internal power again.

Great times lie ahead for you! We’re sure of it!

If you would like support for you, your team or your organisation to get back to peak performance, then we are delighted to offer boost sessions and coaching on a personal, team or company-wide level. Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Photos by Nicolas Hoizey  Ricardo Arce , Mika Baumeister , Jeremy Perkins and jesse orrico on Unsplash